Petition File No. 610
Section 5144 and 3345: Enhancing Respiratory Hazard Signage and Referenced Safety Materials
Petition File No. 610
Shourish Mukherjee
To amend Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), section 5144, Respiratory Protection, subsection (a), “Permissible Practice,” to add a new requirement for mandatory signage at all construction sites where respiratory hazards exist. Specifically, the Petitioner proposes adding a new paragraph, subsection (a)(3), to read as follows:
“In construction operations where respiratory protection is required under this section, the employer shall post clearly visible and conspicuous signage (including infographics) at all points of entry to the affected work area. Signs shall meet the visibility requirements of Section 3340. Such signs shall notify employees and entrants of the respiratory hazard. Signs shall be in English and the dominant language(s) of the workforce.”
The Petitioner further requests that employers be required to post such signage at construction sites where respiratory hazards—such as dust, respirable crystalline silica, fumes, vapors, asbestos fibers, and gases—are present. Additionally, the Petitioner proposes revisions to various language in the document titled “Working Safer and Easier for Janitors, Custodians, and Housekeepers,” which is referenced in Appendix A (Non-Mandatory) of section 3345. The Petitioner believes that the proposed signage requirements and document revisions would improve hazard awareness among employees, contractors, and transient workers. These proposed changes would also promote consistency with other Title 8 CCR standards, including those addressing asbestos, silica, personal protective equipment, respiratory protection, and aerosol transmissible diseases. Furthermore, the inclusion of infographics would help overcome language barriers and ensure that employers effectively communicate respiratory hazards to employees.
January 2026